Gloria Wright / The Post-StandardThe state Commission on Public Integrity today charged Gov. David Paterson with violating state ethics laws by accepting free World Series tickets from the New York Yankees. It also accused Paterson of lying under oath to the commission by claiming he always intended to pay for the tickets.

Update: Morgan Hook, spokesman for Gov. David Paterson, just issued the following statement:

"The Governor’s Office is reviewing the findings of the Public Integrity Commission. Governor Paterson maintains his innocence and intends to challenge the findings of the Commission both with respect to the law and the facts. The Governor takes this matter very seriously and intends to fully cooperate with any further inquiries or investigations, but believes the Commission has acted unfairly in this matter."

Albany, NY - The New York State Commission on Public Integrity today charged Gov. David Paterson with violating the gift ban of the state’s ethics laws when he secured free tickets to the first game of the 2009 World Series from the New York Yankees.

The commission has asked Attorney General Andrew Cuomo and the Albany County district attorney to investigate whether Paterson or anyone else committed a crime by testifying falsely under oath during the commission’s interview of him and by causing a check to be back-dated.

Using tickets the governor's staff obtained, Paterson, two members of his staff - including senior aide David Johnson - Paterson's son and his son’s friend attended the Oct. 28 World Series game at Yankee Stadium between the Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies, the commission said.

Johnson is the aide that was accused of assaulting his then girlfriend on Halloween. Paterson and state police assigned to the governor's detail subsequently contacted the victim. Criticism of that conduct prompted Paterson to end his campaign for election and led two of his cabinet members to resign.

The Commission on Public Integrity determined that there is reasonable cause to believe that the governor solicited, received and accepted an unlawful gift and later falsely testified under oath that he had always intended to pay for the tickets for his son and his son’s friend. In fact, the commission alleged, the governor’s intention was to receive and accept the tickets without paying for them until a press inquiry caused him to submit a backdated check as payment for the tickets.

Paterson sent the Yankees a check for $850 on Oct. 30, two days after the game, after New York Post columnist Frederick Dicker raised questions about whether the governor purchased the tickets, according to the commission.

The governor testified that the Yankees gave him free tickets to the game because he was attending in his official capacity as governor. He testified he always intended to pay for the tickets used by his son and his son's friend. The $850 payment was to cover the cost of tickets for his son and his son's friend, Paterson testified.

The commission charged Paterson with violating two subsections of the gift ban provisions of the Public Officers Law, each of which carries a maximum penalty of $40,000. In addition, he allegedly violated three sections of the state Code of Ethics, including one that prohibits the Governor from using his official position to secure unwarranted privileges, which carries a civil penalty of $10,000.

The commission determined there is reasonable cause to believe that Paterson did not intend -- before the game -- to reimburse the Yankees for the cost of the tickets for his son and his son’s friend.